24 Hours of Le Mans 2010 – Full Race Part 1 - video Dailymotion

Grand Prix

Relive the 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans, a true endurance classic that tested every limit of man and machine. Audi and Peugeot went head-to-head in a relentless battle for supremacy, with strategy, reliability, and pure speed deciding the outcome. From breathtaking night stints to heart-pounding final hours, this race captured the raw essence of Le Mans and delivered moments that would define a new era of endurance racing.  #LeMans2010 #24hLeMans #EnduranceRacing #AudiVsPeugeot #MotorsportHistory #RacingDrama #LegendaryRace

Transcript

00:00:00Welcome back everybody to Le Mans, where we are joined by the president of the FIA.

00:00:19A couple of days ago, in fact, Michel Mouton was here, the FIA delegate for women in motorsport.

00:00:24And today, the president of the FIA, Jean Tote, is here, and of course, Jean Tote, the man who masterminded Peugeot's last successful trip to the top steps of the podium

00:00:33when they won with the Formula 1 V10-engined Peugeot 905B's pair of Le Mans victories under his belt as a team boss,

00:00:42as well, of course, as his huge Formula 1 interests with Ferrari.

00:00:46And just taking a chance to stop off and say hello to Jean Alessi as well on the grid,

00:00:51ex-Ferrari driver, ex-Fórmula 1 driver, and here racing a Ferrari.

00:00:55Perhaps some things never change.

00:00:57I think when you're a made man at Ferrari, like being in other Italian organizations,

00:01:02hey, you never leave.

00:01:03What do you say, Carlton Kirby?

00:01:05Well, Jean Alessi, welcome everybody.

00:01:07Jean Alessi is a man who is loved universally, I think, and by every team he actually races for as well.

00:01:14In DTM, there's plenty of hugs coming from Norbert Haug, it seems the president of the FIA

00:01:18is just as unaverse to actually putting his arms around the little man.

00:01:22He is a fantastic character, and in fact, he came here, and we said,

00:01:26so, what do you remember about the last time you...

00:01:28He said, I remember nothing, nothing at all, a long time ago.

00:01:32Jean Tote actually has to reach up to put his arms around little Jean Alessi.

00:01:35Let's get down to the pit lane where we have the FIA president with Justine Monnier.

00:01:39For you, Le Mans, it's a great moment.

00:01:44It's amazing to see a race as well, as well, as well as enthusiasm, as well as it's a fantastic atmosphere,

00:01:53historic race, very popular, the fans are so enthusiastic, everything comes together here,

00:01:59it should be a great race.

00:02:02What about safety on the circuit?

00:02:03There are some declarations that say that it's a very dangerous circuit.

00:02:06Do you think it's as dangerous as some of them are saying?

00:02:11Jean Tote saying, yeah, of course, it's a fast track.

00:02:14Motor racing always has the potential for danger,

00:02:17but Le Mans work very strongly with security,

00:02:19and certainly compared to the old days, hugely safer.

00:02:24What about a secret?

00:02:25What did you say to Jean Alessi?

00:02:26I just said hello.

00:02:29Not the checks in the post.

00:02:30So, Oog de Chonac on the left and Olivier Canel on the right,

00:02:34the man who is running the Orica Peugeot and the man who is running all four Peugeots, Olivier Canel.

00:02:40And this time he's got four strings to his bow,

00:02:42as overhead is La Patouille, the French equivalent of the Red Arrows.

00:02:47Five minutes to go, and boys, actually, there's already been a little bit of a drama

00:02:52with the Flying Lizards Porsche on its trip from the run across the grid through the pit lane,

00:02:57picked up a puncture, so they've already had their drama start early.

00:03:00Yeah, reconnaissance lap.

00:03:02We've seen already earlier on this week,

00:03:05if you've been live with us, then we don't need to give you such a warm welcome.

00:03:09You will be up to speed.

00:03:10As you know, the gravel around here has lots of really rather nasty little flinty pieces within it,

00:03:17and it is slicing up the tyres good and proper.

00:03:19And even on the Recon lap, yes, as you've heard, the Flying Lizards, Mark, have suffered.

00:03:25Yeah, they have.

00:03:26And, in fact, we've had this all day long.

00:03:28Two races earlier on, we had the French Porsche Carrera Cup,

00:03:31we had the Group C Legends race, a lot of punches in both those races.

00:03:35And this is a cause of concern, of course, for this afternoon.

00:03:40The good news, though, all 55 cars are on the grid.

00:03:43No one's going to be starting from the pit lane.

00:03:44We are one down after qualifying.

00:03:47We lost one of the AF Corsa Ferraris.

00:03:49But other than that, it's all looking good, Martin.

00:03:53We'll be back after a brief break.

00:03:55Welcome back live to Le Mans.

00:04:01Le Blanc et Rouge are the smoke clouds, which they've just turned off and turned back on again.

00:04:06They don't want anything drifting across this track to disturb any minds.

00:04:10I think that's rather adept.

00:04:11Welcome to 24-hour live coverage here.

00:04:15We've had plenty more than that in the build-up to the great race itself.

00:04:20We've had our reconnaissance lap, had a few punctures earlier in the week,

00:04:23picked up one on there, as you've already heard.

00:04:26And we just hope that everyone gets round safely when it comes to the warm-up,

00:04:29which is just about to start.

00:04:31So, a massive crowd here, as always.

00:04:34The atmosphere, well, it just seems to build year on year.

00:04:38It seems to be getting ever more popular.

00:04:40And, well, there's part of the reason of it.

00:04:43Certainly in terms of the Brits that have come over here,

00:04:45they want to see our nige.

00:04:47And they are making themselves, not a nuisance,

00:04:50but really becoming part of the atmosphere here.

00:04:52It's been fantastic to see chaps in flat caps with moustaches.

00:04:58That almost came out well.

00:05:00It almost did.

00:05:00Flat hats and nige taches.

00:05:03But everybody plays the crowd.

00:05:05I mean, at this time of day, Mark, historically, and now as ever was,

00:05:09the grandstands are heaving with fans,

00:05:11all eager to make a noise, to see this, you know, great parade start.

00:05:16And the drivers know it.

00:05:17They love it.

00:05:17And the teams all play up to the crowd, trying to get the noise going.

00:05:21Very much so.

00:05:22240,000 here last year.

00:05:24At least 85,000, those were Brits.

00:05:26And most of those tend to be opposite the pit lane.

00:05:29So, there we are.

00:05:30Here's the field.

00:05:3055 cars.

00:05:31Not quite the biggest ever.

00:05:33Would have been if we hadn't lost that Ferrari.

00:05:35But here we are.

00:05:36The pride of France.

00:05:37The whole of the first two rows.

00:05:38The Blues.

00:05:39Well, as the cars start their engines,

00:05:48and the official starter gets ready to wave the flag

00:05:51to send them off on this final lap before the race commences.

00:05:54Don't forget, since 1971, a rolling start.

00:05:58And for those of you who have watched the Steve McQueen film them on,

00:06:01the only ever standing start was the one they filmed in 1970.

00:06:04Daniel Poissoneau, the clerk of the course.

00:06:07His name's not Otto.

00:06:08Though it is Daniel, waves the green flag

00:06:10to get the final lap pre-race underway.

00:06:14And this fantastic field of 55 cars starts to roll.

00:06:18And if tension wasn't already mounting,

00:06:21certainly within the cockpits,

00:06:22the drivers will be feeling a lot more relaxed.

00:06:25Now, they can actually go about it.

00:06:27But for the teams on the pit wall,

00:06:29for the second and third drivers,

00:06:30and for every other man, Jacobus, around the circuit,

00:06:33this is really now the last moment

00:06:35when the hairs start to tingle on the back of your neck,

00:06:38we are getting ready to start yet another Le Mans.

00:06:40Absolutely.

00:06:42And if you want to join us on the forum,

00:06:44don't forget, it's eurosport.co.uk.

00:06:48Then click on the message boards,

00:06:50scroll down to Motorsports,

00:06:52and click Le Mans.

00:06:53That's the topic area,

00:06:54is new Eurosport 2010 Le Mans Live,

00:06:57because, of course,

00:06:58we were here in April for the bike race.

00:07:00Well, we've doubled the wheels,

00:07:01and maybe twice the excitement.

00:07:02Certainly a vast crowd here,

00:07:04and here's your starting grip.

00:07:06Well, Pedro Lamy leads a Peugeot 1, 2, 3, 4.

00:07:10Best of the Audis,

00:07:11Timo Bernhardt in the number nine R15+,

00:07:15and the best of the petrol engine car,

00:07:17starting in eighth place behind it.

00:07:18Most of the diesels is Stefan Mucca,

00:07:22with the other Lola Aston Martin of Darren Turner behind him.

00:07:25Orica running not only their Peugeot,

00:07:27but also the AIM-engined open prototype,

00:07:31which Sayal Ayari will start.

00:07:33Two R10 TDIs as well in the LMP1 field.

00:07:38And the P2-class pole sitter,

00:07:41Johnny Kane, starts the HPD,

00:07:43the number 15 car from the Straco racing team

00:07:46that just won out over Highcroft

00:07:48in the battle for pole in that class.

00:07:51Yes, that was certainly a highlight the other night,

00:07:52wasn't it?

00:07:53That great battle between the two HPD teams.

00:07:55It was Danny Watts against David Brabham.

00:07:58It's something they've been looking forward to all year.

00:08:00And working your way down through the first dozen rows,

00:08:04still all prototypes.

00:08:05The P2-class, particularly,

00:08:06we think is going to be very, very closely fought.

00:08:09Fastest three cars,

00:08:11all with the Honda HPD engine,

00:08:12the ex-IndyCar engine.

00:08:14Thumbs up there from Ant Davidson

00:08:15as he stands in the Peugeot garage.

00:08:18He, of course, has joined the winning crew from last year,

00:08:20Alexander Wurtz and Marc Genet.

00:08:22In the GT1-class,

00:08:23pole position taken by the young drivers,

00:08:25Aston Martin, DVR9,

00:08:27which Peter Cox will start.

00:08:30And they are,

00:08:32well, that's a slightly smaller class

00:08:34than we're used to.

00:08:34They're up against Saleen and Ford GTs,

00:08:37plus the two slightly older Corvettes

00:08:39of the Alphonse Venture team.

00:08:41Yeah, it's a real shame

00:08:42that GT1s won't be part of the action next year.

00:08:44It's being superseded by the GT2s,

00:08:47who are led off by the Corvette racing crew.

00:08:49It's Oli Gavin that is on the class pole

00:08:52on row 18,

00:08:54alongside, effectively,

00:08:55just behind him,

00:08:56certainly alongside,

00:08:57as far as the class is concerned,

00:08:58Jan Magnussen,

00:08:58also Corvette racing.

00:09:00The air, of course,

00:09:00a Ferrari leads off that row 19,

00:09:03incidentally.

00:09:04And a little bit of a mishmash

00:09:06as you go further down.

00:09:07Porsche desperate to try

00:09:09and just avenge

00:09:10what has been a couple of defeats for them.

00:09:11They come here on the back foot

00:09:13just a little bit,

00:09:14but they reckon that this track

00:09:15may well belong to them this time.

00:09:17It's certainly the class

00:09:18where most of the action

00:09:18is going to be happening, Martin.

00:09:20Well, it is going to be very hard fought.

00:09:22Corvette, of course,

00:09:23multiple GT1 champions,

00:09:24as we heard earlier,

00:09:25going down to the GT2 class,

00:09:27which is a lot healthier than GT1,

00:09:29which has basically ceased to exist

00:09:30in the States,

00:09:31where they do most of their racing.

00:09:33But we've got Corvette,

00:09:34we've got Porsche,

00:09:35we've got Ferrari,

00:09:36we've got newcomers from BMW,

00:09:37we've got the new Jagu,

00:09:38we've got Spiker,

00:09:39we've got Aston Martin.

00:09:40In terms of variety of car, Mark,

00:09:43GT2 probably has everything,

00:09:45and it also has

00:09:45the only disqualification as well.

00:09:47The fastest car in the GT2 class

00:09:49was the Ricci Competizione Ferrari,

00:09:52but it had its time disallowed

00:09:53because they had a slightly too low

00:09:55gurney flap on the back of their wing

00:09:57when they pushed it into scrutineering.

00:09:59Yeah, they changed it, of course,

00:10:00between Wednesday and Thursday night.

00:10:02Someone had failed

00:10:03to get it re-scrutineered,

00:10:04and so the car had

00:10:05all its times disallowed.

00:10:07They would have had the honour

00:10:09of being on pole.

00:10:10The Jaguar RSR of Paul Gentilotsi

00:10:12would have had the honour

00:10:13of being the last car on the grid,

00:10:14now finds itself on the penultimate road.

00:10:17Jaguar, though,

00:10:17a return,

00:10:1975th anniversary,

00:10:20their return for the first time

00:10:21since 1995.

00:10:23And there's a number

00:10:24of anniversaries here,

00:10:25of course,

00:10:2550th anniversary of Corvette,

00:10:2775th anniversary of Jaguar

00:10:28first making racing cars,

00:10:30so the Gentilotsi Rocket Sport Racing Jag

00:10:33is a very welcome addition.

00:10:35And for those of you

00:10:36who were watching earlier,

00:10:37what a great sight

00:10:38in the Group C race

00:10:39to see three Silk Cup Jags

00:10:41leading the field.

00:10:42I felt 25 again.

00:10:44It was just wondrous.

00:10:46We all felt a bit younger

00:10:47watching that.

00:10:47Shame, though,

00:10:48unfortunately,

00:10:48that the RSR Jaguar

00:10:50is, well,

00:10:51it would be at the back

00:10:51if it hadn't been

00:10:52for the RISI competition.

00:10:54Not exclusion,

00:10:55but they've been put to the back

00:10:56because of that

00:10:57gurney-flat problem

00:10:58on the wings.

00:11:00So, huge, huge moments here, Mark.

00:11:02You were going to say, sorry.

00:11:03Yeah, I was just going to say,

00:11:03while we're talking about anniversaries,

00:11:05remember,

00:11:05200th anniversary for Peugeot.

00:11:07Now, there's something

00:11:08not a lot of people know.

00:11:09It was 200 years ago

00:11:10that the Peugeot brothers

00:11:11set up their blacksmithie

00:11:13in the centre of Paris

00:11:15and started building carts.

00:11:18And here we are.

00:11:19Look what it's got today.

00:11:20Front two rows

00:11:21at the Le Mans,

00:11:2224 hours.

00:11:23Yeah, it's a marvellous place to be.

00:11:24Great if you're a competitor.

00:11:26Fabulous if you're a commentator.

00:11:27And, of course,

00:11:28if you're a mixture of both,

00:11:30thank you,

00:11:30certainly Liz Halliday,

00:11:31how is this kind of

00:11:33getting to you at the moment?

00:11:34Oh, God, it's hard work.

00:11:36Yeah, it's very hard

00:11:36to be standing up here

00:11:37when you really want

00:11:38to be in the car.

00:11:38I've been very lucky

00:11:39to have done the start

00:11:40at Le Mans twice

00:11:41and it's definitely,

00:11:42hands down,

00:11:42the best experience

00:11:43of my entire life to date.

00:11:44And probably nothing's

00:11:45going to absurd that, I think.

00:11:47Well, we'll try our best.

00:11:48Yeah.

00:11:49This is the next best thing,

00:11:50of course,

00:11:51standing next to all of you up here.

00:11:52So, look at this, Mark Cole.

00:11:54They're trying to get some teat

00:11:55into the tyres here.

00:11:56It's got everything

00:11:56you could possibly want.

00:11:57We've got the Peugeots out there.

00:11:59Audi reckon they've dialed

00:12:00in something special

00:12:00between the warm-up

00:12:02and right here.

00:12:03Alan McNish a little bit

00:12:04earlier on saying,

00:12:05we found something.

00:12:06We're not going to tell you

00:12:07what it is.

00:12:07Well, I think what they've found

00:12:08is the possibility of rain

00:12:09because that's the only thing

00:12:11that's really going to help Audi.

00:12:12Let's be honest.

00:12:13Jack Eak's last,

00:12:14we had two nights ago up here.

00:12:16He was telling everyone

00:12:16this morning,

00:12:17I'm backing Peugeot

00:12:18unless there's rain.

00:12:20Well, well, well.

00:12:21They'd better keep

00:12:21their fingers crossed

00:12:22because it is diminishing

00:12:23the chance of rain,

00:12:24particularly tomorrow

00:12:25on Sunday.

00:12:27So, if you're thinking

00:12:28of making a very,

00:12:28very late call

00:12:29to the circuit,

00:12:30it's around about

00:12:31only 5%

00:12:31for the end of the race.

00:12:33That said,

00:12:34we've been downstairs

00:12:35a couple of times

00:12:36and had a chat with people

00:12:36who said,

00:12:37no, no,

00:12:37there's not going to be any rain

00:12:38just as the downpour begins.

00:12:41Massive British contingent here

00:12:42as is always the case

00:12:43and some very,

00:12:44very familiar looks

00:12:45out there as well.

00:12:46The Ford GTs are out there.

00:12:48I suppose these days,

00:12:49even the Peugeots

00:12:50are starting to look,

00:12:51not old hat,

00:12:53but they've been around a lot.

00:12:54Yeah, thank you for those

00:12:55on the Eurosport thread

00:12:56picking us up.

00:12:57They're not Ford GT40s,

00:12:58we know,

00:12:59but isn't it fun

00:12:59to call them that?

00:13:00Just one question

00:13:01we're going to answer quickly.

00:13:02Live timing,

00:13:03if you want to see that,

00:13:04go to www.lemans.org.

00:13:07It's all there.

00:13:08You can see every second

00:13:09of the race

00:13:10and listen to us.

00:13:11Absolutely.

00:13:12You've got everything

00:13:12you could possibly want here,

00:13:13surely.

00:13:14The flags are out,

00:13:15the crowd are out in force

00:13:16as we look up

00:13:17towards the Dunlop Bridge.

00:13:19It's absolutely rammed there.

00:13:21Thank goodness

00:13:21the weather

00:13:22is a little bit cooler

00:13:23because all those

00:13:23bare bellies

00:13:24that we usually see

00:13:25are thankfully undercover,

00:13:26which is good stuff.

00:13:28Here are the lights

00:13:29of the vehicles

00:13:29and the important ones,

00:13:31of course,

00:13:31are the safety car

00:13:32in front of them.

00:13:33Just holding them

00:13:34as they come to the completion

00:13:36of their circuit here.

00:13:38It's likely to be Persho,

00:13:39but just wait until

00:13:41you see Alan McNish

00:13:42get off the leash.

00:13:43Leading off row three,

00:13:45it's going to be

00:13:46one heck of a skirmish

00:13:48as we begin this one.

00:13:49Yeah, here's the moment

00:13:50that everybody waits for.

00:13:52God, it's such an incredible

00:13:53experience to come around

00:13:54that turn and see

00:13:54all the crowds of people

00:13:55and to know that you're

00:13:57starting the 24 hours

00:13:58at Le Mans.

00:13:58And here we are.

00:13:59We're underway.

00:14:00The car has gone.

00:14:01The flags of weight

00:14:02and Persho scream away.

00:14:03What's the response

00:14:04of Alan McNish

00:14:05when he just holds back,

00:14:06holds station,

00:14:07keeping very sensible.

00:14:08They're going to play

00:14:08the long game here

00:14:10as they head up the hill

00:14:11underneath the Dunlop curves

00:14:12or towards the Dunlop curves

00:14:14and the seven car

00:14:15does hold.

00:14:16It gets into position

00:14:17right now

00:14:18and he's already

00:14:18started to make moves

00:14:20here, Alan McNish.

00:14:21He knows he's quick.

00:14:22He's still in this vehicle

00:14:23and Persho

00:14:23not on the backfield at all.

00:14:25They know that he's held

00:14:26behind but look at him

00:14:27moving all over the track

00:14:28here, Mark.

00:14:29Yeah, went straight

00:14:29past Bernhardt.

00:14:30He's really, really pushing

00:14:31but these four Peugeots,

00:14:33they're all in fighting

00:14:34as well.

00:14:34They want the honour

00:14:35of leading the first lap.

00:14:36Jean-Claude Killie

00:14:37we saw getting the start

00:14:38flag there

00:14:38and he would love

00:14:39to see a French victory too.

00:14:41How much movement

00:14:41is there on Alan McNish's

00:14:42car as he tries to find

00:14:43a way through here?

00:14:44So far, absolutely

00:14:45nothing for him.

00:14:46It was alongside

00:14:47Timo Bernard in the nine car.

00:14:49He went by him.

00:14:50Nobody wants Alan McNish

00:14:51behind them in a moment

00:14:53like this and McNish

00:14:54well he picked it up

00:14:54and he absolutely

00:14:55throttled it.

00:14:56Here we go.

00:14:57And now McNish

00:14:58is trying to pick off

00:14:58Nick Lapierre there.

00:15:00He's in fourth place.

00:15:02Oh and they're really

00:15:02well-placed.

00:15:03Big, big luxies.

00:15:04They certainly are.

00:15:05Everyone wants a piece

00:15:05of this and Marcel Fast

00:15:06are also getting involved

00:15:07here trying to find

00:15:09some sort of way through.

00:15:10Both Audi's just

00:15:11right up the backside

00:15:12of those Peugeots

00:15:13into the first part

00:15:15of the chicane

00:15:15and definitely you can see

00:15:16both of them pulling out

00:15:17on the straight

00:15:17trying to make a pass

00:15:18early on.

00:15:19Now what have they

00:15:20managed to dial in here?

00:15:21Oh he's certainly

00:15:22got a little bit more

00:15:23performance.

00:15:23You've got to be

00:15:24said here.

00:15:25The Orica Mad Mutt

00:15:26machine alongside

00:15:26Alan McNish

00:15:27having a rare old

00:15:28scrap here.

00:15:28This is wonderful stuff.

00:15:30Well if they have

00:15:30dialed in something

00:15:31special from the

00:15:32warm-up it's certainly

00:15:33on board Alan's car.

00:15:34He just backs out

00:15:35if it has to do so.

00:15:36He was on the wrong

00:15:37side of the road

00:15:37for the PlayStation

00:15:38chicane because

00:15:39that turns left

00:15:40and he had to give

00:15:40way there.

00:15:41But he's going to have

00:15:41another go now.

00:15:42Alan McNish right

00:15:42under Nick Lapierre's

00:15:43wing.

00:15:44Is he going to

00:15:44split the Peugeot

00:15:46brigade?

00:15:47Here he goes.

00:15:48Oh wonderful stuff.

00:15:49Wonderful racing.

00:15:50The Mad Mutt

00:15:50machine, the AIM

00:15:51machine as well

00:15:52is also having a

00:15:53real old tussle

00:15:54with the Aston Martin

00:15:54in 009 as well

00:15:56and look at this

00:15:57well.

00:15:58Alan is certainly

00:15:59trying to make a

00:16:00point isn't he?

00:16:01Alan is certainly

00:16:01trying to say

00:16:02straight from the

00:16:03first lap of Le Mans

00:16:04that come on boys

00:16:05this is going to be

00:16:06a fight.

00:16:06Get it down very

00:16:07very quickly.

00:16:08Get it down very

00:16:09very quickly

00:16:10and I understand

00:16:11I've got a mic

00:16:11problem so Mark

00:16:12off you go.

00:16:13So here we go then

00:16:14Alan having another

00:16:14go on the run down

00:16:15to Indianapolis

00:16:16gets on the inside

00:16:17Liz this is the

00:16:18right place to be

00:16:18this time.

00:16:19It is absolutely

00:16:20oh god it's so

00:16:21tight.

00:16:22You definitely

00:16:23you can tell that

00:16:23Alan is making

00:16:24his point very

00:16:25early on what

00:16:26he's going to

00:16:26give in this race.

00:16:28So it's Peugeot

00:16:291, 2, 3, 4

00:16:30but it's McNish

00:16:31trying to stop

00:16:31that and again

00:16:32he goes wide

00:16:33in Indianapolis

00:16:33loses out a bit

00:16:34of ground to

00:16:35Nick Lapierre

00:16:35he's driving

00:16:36remember the

00:16:37Areca car

00:16:37Hugh Deshonac's

00:16:38team it's

00:16:39Pedralami leaving

00:16:40Marc Genet

00:16:41Frank Montani

00:16:41Nick Lapierre

00:16:42then Audi

00:16:431, 2, 3

00:16:44McNish

00:16:44Bernhardt

00:16:45and Fassler

00:16:45and then the

00:16:46three Astons

00:16:47Muka Turner

00:16:48in the golf

00:16:48cars and

00:16:49Mayo in the

00:16:51Sinitra Plus

00:16:52car.

00:16:54Dr Ulrich

00:16:55then looking

00:16:55on and

00:16:56watching the

00:16:57progresser

00:16:58he's mighty

00:16:58impressed

00:16:59with what

00:17:00the wee

00:17:00Scotsman's

00:17:01doing here

00:17:02but unfortunately

00:17:03at the end

00:17:03of the day

00:17:03the Peugeots

00:17:04have got the

00:17:04slipperiness

00:17:05they have got

00:17:06the top speed

00:17:07Audi's have

00:17:08all the downforce

00:17:09but the Peugeots

00:17:10are just starting

00:17:11already as they

00:17:12come up to the end

00:17:12of the first lap

00:17:13to make their mark

00:17:14Liz.

00:17:14Well sorry about

00:17:15the brief hiatus

00:17:16and sorry that

00:17:16Liz is without a

00:17:17headset just for

00:17:18the time being

00:17:19but it is busy

00:17:20busy busy

00:17:21stuff.

00:17:32So we've got

00:17:32some sound issues

00:17:33here we're just

00:17:34sorting them out

00:17:34but we are already

00:17:36just no more than

00:17:37five minutes into

00:17:38this race as you

00:17:39can see.

00:17:40Look at that

00:17:4023 minutes 56

00:17:41and 20 remaining

00:17:42here lights a blaze

00:17:44we've started at

00:17:45Le Mans and live

00:17:46coverage goes on

00:17:47from here finally

00:17:48finally they're

00:17:49settling themselves

00:17:50down it was a

00:17:50great attempt by

00:17:51Alan Wittnish

00:17:52early on to make

00:17:53some kind of moves

00:17:54here and but

00:17:55finally I think

00:17:56it's just starting

00:17:57to unravel here

00:17:57for them it's

00:17:59very very early

00:18:00days but it was

00:18:01amazing to see

00:18:02just how much

00:18:02performance he had

00:18:03right at the very

00:18:04beginning particularly

00:18:05on the straight

00:18:05so I'm surprised.

00:18:07What an incredible

00:18:09start that was from

00:18:10Alan I mean

00:18:10straight away we're

00:18:11at the beginning

00:18:12of a 24 hour race

00:18:13the biggest one in

00:18:14the world and we're

00:18:14seeing essentially

00:18:15what we would see

00:18:16in a sprint race

00:18:17it was just

00:18:18absolutely incredible

00:18:19but it makes you

00:18:19see what has Audi

00:18:21found.

00:18:22They said they'd

00:18:22found something

00:18:23they didn't tell us

00:18:24what but it's

00:18:24definitely something

00:18:24oh we've got the

00:18:25Autocon car stopped

00:18:26out on track I believe

00:18:28that is the Lola

00:18:29AER of Mike Lewis

00:18:31and with the field

00:18:32so compacted here

00:18:33they just have to

00:18:35take a great deal

00:18:36of care as you can

00:18:36see car stop it's

00:18:37at post 100 if

00:18:39you've got your

00:18:39little map out there

00:18:40but yeah it's still

00:18:42busy busy stuff

00:18:43and in straight away

00:18:45comes the Luc

00:18:46Alvon adventures

00:18:47machine clearly not

00:18:49a happy place to be

00:18:50I just wonder if it's

00:18:51a puncture issue

00:18:51there it looks like

00:18:53it may well be a

00:18:54door problem simple

00:18:56as that and they've

00:18:57literally just opened

00:18:58the door and closed

00:18:59it again but it's

00:19:01right next to the

00:19:02driver as well can't

00:19:02understand why he

00:19:03actually didn't do

00:19:04that Persia is then

00:19:05just settling

00:19:05himself almost into

00:19:06near formation here

00:19:08and let's just hope

00:19:10that for Audi's sake

00:19:11and the race's sake

00:19:12that that doesn't go

00:19:13on forever here

00:19:14so for the time being

00:19:16at least after a very

00:19:17very busy start we're

00:19:18just setting ourselves

00:19:19in with Peugeot

00:19:20holding station and

00:19:21look at that a very

00:19:22very familiar look

00:19:24it's got to be said

00:19:25so the blue, blanc et rouge

00:19:27are out in front and

00:19:28it's Peugeot 1, 2, 3

00:19:29and 4 with the team

00:19:30Orica mapment machine

00:19:32also a 9.08 and very

00:19:34very close to factory

00:19:35spec virtually no

00:19:36difference you've got

00:19:36to say Mark between

00:19:37the four Peugeots

00:19:39despite the fact that

00:19:40one is run by Matt

00:19:41but yes the cars are

00:19:43identical as you say

00:19:44but look at that

00:19:45Lamy and Genet trading

00:19:46first sec fastest

00:19:47sectors Lamy in one

00:19:49and Genet in two and

00:19:51they're just starting to

00:19:51pull away from the field

00:19:52now the Peugeots are

00:19:54covered by 2.2 seconds

00:19:55and the best of the

00:19:57rest is Audi 3.1 seconds

00:19:59behind the leader

00:19:59and then a huge gap

00:20:01down to the Aston

00:20:02seven and a half seconds

00:20:03and we're only on the

00:20:04second lap of the race

00:20:05yeah it's been it's been

00:20:07an incredible start to

00:20:08this race really and

00:20:09we're looking down as we

00:20:10go down the list to LMP

00:20:112 as well you can see

00:20:13that even though we've

00:20:13got the same engine in

00:20:14the cars the first three

00:20:16cars that Johnny Kane

00:20:17has actually pulled out

00:20:18quite a decent lead I

00:20:19think at the beginning

00:20:20so it's going to be

00:20:21interesting to see what

00:20:22comes about

00:20:22Carlton in this race

00:20:23very much so the GT

00:20:25cars we've got

00:20:27Jérôme Polycan who

00:20:28has tumbled down the

00:20:29order the 72 car

00:20:30happened to just pop

00:20:31in to get its doors

00:20:31adjusted but as you can

00:20:32see everyone's still

00:20:33within sight of each

00:20:34other here and is so

00:20:35busy on track it's

00:20:36unbelievable just on

00:20:37board with the nine

00:20:38car here this is Timo

00:20:40Bernard Mike

00:20:42Rockenfella qualified

00:20:43this car I'm surprised

00:20:44to not surprised I

00:20:46suppose but it came as

00:20:48a revelation that the

00:20:49team stick to a very

00:20:50very rigorous certainly

00:20:51within Audi exchange

00:20:52policy and that every

00:20:54driver knows who's

00:20:55going to be taking

00:20:55over from

00:20:56yeah I think that

00:20:57makes a really big

00:20:57difference you have to

00:20:58know in a race like

00:20:59this you can't have any

00:21:00ambiguity left at all

00:21:01you must have a plan

00:21:02within the team and

00:21:02within the drivers so

00:21:04they know exactly what's

00:21:05happening and I spoke to

00:21:06Timo actually not long

00:21:07ago before the race and

00:21:08he actually seemed quite

00:21:09you know quite in the

00:21:10right place for this race

00:21:11and he said you know

00:21:12they'd like to be a

00:21:13little bit quicker than

00:21:13they were but he seemed

00:21:15rather confident in an

00:21:16interesting way so I

00:21:17think perhaps there'd been a

00:21:18bit of a chat there

00:21:19early on and they were

00:21:20feeling like they'd

00:21:20found a bit of

00:21:21something in the Audi

00:21:22before the start

00:21:22well certainly Alan

00:21:23McNish talking a little

00:21:24bit earlier on today

00:21:25saying precisely that

00:21:26just before the start

00:21:27he said you just watch

00:21:29and particularly if the

00:21:30moisture comes down

00:21:30and Mark Cole we may

00:21:31well get a little bit

00:21:32of rain we've had just

00:21:33about all weather

00:21:34conditions here when we

00:21:35arrived from Scrutideering

00:21:36we had hail we've had

00:21:38rain full on we've had

00:21:40little bits of drizzle

00:21:41thankfully it's dry

00:21:42despite the fact that

00:21:43it's overcast here as we

00:21:44get underway

00:21:45yeah the track is fully

00:21:46dry at the moment but

00:21:47we are told there's a

00:21:47possibility of light

00:21:48showers coming later

00:21:50this afternoon that's

00:21:51what Meteo France are

00:21:52telling us they seem to

00:21:53know what's going on

00:21:54the Peugeots again in

00:21:55fighting big battle for

00:21:56second place going on

00:21:57there this is but while

00:21:58we're looking at these

00:21:59let's have a quick look

00:22:00down the order Peter

00:22:01Cox started the young

00:22:02driver Aston Martin

00:22:03DBR9 from GT1 pole he

00:22:06still holds that from

00:22:07Baz Linder's and Oli

00:22:08Gavin Yardley Hastings

00:22:10finest he started that

00:22:11Corvette the 64 Corvette

00:22:12from pole and he still

00:22:14holds that position so no

00:22:15change in the four

00:22:16classes in the leaders but

00:22:17it's a second place battle

00:22:19that's now lighting the

00:22:20track up this is really

00:22:21really tough between

00:22:22Janais and Montaigne

00:22:23now the man who's just

00:22:24done his fastest sector

00:22:26time of the race so far

00:22:27is Pedro Lamy he's just

00:22:29done his fastest first

00:22:30sector time so far so we

00:22:32may start to see those

00:22:33times get even closer to

00:22:34the qualifying times

00:22:35Carlton

00:22:35well we're only a couple of

00:22:36laps into this one and

00:22:37already into the early

00:22:39320s the first three of the

00:22:41Purchase Lapierre's in a

00:22:42324 883 but it is getting

00:22:44very very quick out there

00:22:45the absolute ideal as far

00:22:48as the drivers are

00:22:49concerned a number of them

00:22:50have had a chat about this

00:22:50as we look at this lovely

00:22:52little battle just ultra the

00:22:55the two Aston Martins here

00:22:57yeah they want cool air in the

00:22:59morning they want it to be

00:23:01nice and quiet clear and on

00:23:03slicks well they've got just

00:23:05about everything they want

00:23:05at the moment because it

00:23:06is cool they are on slicks

00:23:07it's nice and dry and the

00:23:09times are absolutely coming

00:23:10to them Montaigne has

00:23:11actually just bested the

00:23:12middle sector here sector

00:23:13two as well so it really is

00:23:15their playground for the

00:23:16time being Peugeot but we

00:23:17said that before many many

00:23:18times it has come good to

00:23:21them in the past you

00:23:22naturally enough but well

00:23:24we'll just see how this

00:23:26battle pans out because for

00:23:27the time being it's Peugeot

00:23:281 2 3 and 4 their

00:23:29qualification position and

00:23:30despite the best efforts of

00:23:31Alan McNish he just couldn't

00:23:33clip it there heels at the

00:23:34beginning of this one and

00:23:35has had to just settle into

00:23:36station well this is about

00:23:38the time we're going to see

00:23:39the tires really coming into

00:23:40action now because normally

00:23:41when a car makes a pit stop

00:23:42they get the tires hot

00:23:43straight out of the oven but

00:23:44of course at the beginning

00:23:45of the race they've sat

00:23:46around on the grid a bit

00:23:47that sort of thing so it

00:23:48takes them a little bit of

00:23:49time to really get the

00:23:50tires optimized but right

00:23:52about now we're just

00:23:53starting to see faster and

00:23:54faster sector times by the

00:23:55front front runners

00:23:56Montaigne has just done his

00:23:57fastest second sector time

00:23:59so I think we're going to

00:24:00start to see things hot up

00:24:01even more now and it'll be

00:24:02interesting to see what

00:24:03Peugeot can do

00:24:04yeah the three 00 cars as

00:24:06well are in positions eight

00:24:07nine and ten it's great for

00:24:09Lowell as well and the

00:24:10Oroca of Ayari is running

00:24:12in 11th at the moment but

00:24:13if when you look at Ayari's

00:24:15time and in fact the 008 car

00:24:16in the hands of Mayo it's

00:24:1810 seconds that's the

00:24:19deficit that they've got at

00:24:20the moment on Pedro Lamy's

00:24:21machine and look at this

00:24:22Montaigne is absolutely

00:24:23picking it up here here it

00:24:25was the start earlier on and

00:24:27yes the four Peugeot's in a

00:24:29very very happy place out in

00:24:33front and despite Alan

00:24:34McNish who just went through

00:24:35here on his teammate to take

00:24:37that position it was P5 which

00:24:39he's held ever since as soon as

00:24:41he came up to Dunlop went

00:24:42through the curves it just had

00:24:44to settle down a little bit

00:24:45this was a moment that

00:24:47surprised a number of us

00:24:48though Mark straight line

00:24:49performance of the seven car

00:24:50early on

00:24:51yeah very much so but very

00:24:53very impressive with McNish but

00:24:55Frank Montaigne has just done

00:24:56fastest lap of the race so far

00:24:57a 321.5 he's only 1.6 seconds

00:25:01now off pole position and this

00:25:03is the pace Liz was just

00:25:04mentioning about these cars are

00:25:05not hanging around this is a

00:25:0724 hour sprint race Liz

00:25:08it is absolutely I mean now

00:25:10that we've got this performance

00:25:11level with the you know

00:25:12certainly the top eight cars if

00:25:13not even the top 15 almost we

00:25:16are seeing what what is

00:25:17essentially a sprint race for a

00:25:18very long time which we didn't

00:25:20used to see in the past but

00:25:21certainly now these cars are

00:25:22strong enough they're built to

00:25:23be 24 hour cars we've just

00:25:25seen another fastest first

00:25:26sector time and this time by

00:25:28the Peugeot number four of

00:25:29La Pierre and I think we're

00:25:31just going to start seeing even

00:25:32more of this Montaigne has

00:25:33passed Genet for second place

00:25:36and I'm wondering who's going to

00:25:37be the next to pass we're seeing

00:25:38a Peugeot swap about here in

00:25:40our car we are they may well

00:25:42start fighting amongst

00:25:43themselves we've seen that

00:25:44before as well especially when

00:25:45Sébastien Bordier gets on

00:25:47board he like

00:25:48many drivers have a great high

00:25:50opinion of themselves he did a

00:25:51great job as well when it came

00:25:53to qualification he's been

00:25:54he's well loved within the team

00:25:56these days and feels that the

00:25:57car is like a suit that he puts

00:25:59on and it's kind of the first

00:26:02time since the champ car days

00:26:03that he's been able to say that

00:26:04that's how comfortable he feels

00:26:05if you look further down the

00:26:07field there's Johnny Kane at the

00:26:08moment leading LMP2 with David

00:26:09Brabham it's HPD cars one and two

00:26:12at the moment with Alola of

00:26:13Tommy Erdos in a 25 car in third

00:26:16place as far as GT1 is concerned

00:26:17Peter Cox and the Aston Martin is

00:26:19out in front which is great news

00:26:21Baz Leinder and the Ford GT just

00:26:23behind with Julian Juss and we've

00:26:27got Mush as well also in the Ford so

00:26:29a couple of forwards in the top four

00:26:30which is great running for them when

00:26:31it comes to GT2 Oli Gavin and

00:26:34Magnussen are having a terrific

00:26:36scrap between the Corvettes out there

00:26:38and yes it's Mark Lieb in the Porsche

00:26:42crucially for Porsche he and Patrick

00:26:44Long are leading the Ferrari of Jean

00:26:46Allaisy at the moment they desperately

00:26:48want revenge but they're going to have to deal with the Corvettes who are running very very strongly here this year

00:26:53they are they're looking really quick at the moment they're a good two seconds a lap quicker than the closest Porsche which is Mark Lieb's Porsche and that's going to maybe make them a little bit nervous right now and I really do think that Corvette has the experience has the ability to take this and win the GT2 class and actually I think that would be fantastic for them

00:27:09Nigel Mansell incidentally is right at the back of the LMP1s he said his first aim here is to actually finish the race his second aim is not to get into the grasp of the LMP2 cars and right now Johnny Cain is knocking on the door Mark Carlton

00:27:25yeah but no I just can say quite the opposite Carlton crucially Mansell's got himself ahead of Johnny Cain started behind behind you got himself ahead so it's a now solid block top 17 cars are all LMP1s and Nigel just absolutely loving his time here he told us the other night on air he said it's the most extraordinary thing he's ever done in his life his first lap in the dark at Le Mans he came up to Eurosport last year said I got to come back here not just to play golf but to race with my boys here they are what a fairy story

00:27:54and what a spectacular thing to do to race with you know all in the family I think that's wonderful I would love to have raced at Le Mans with my father if I'd had the opportunity and it must be a really special thing for all of them and certainly I know they're starting to get to grips with this car I think they've had a little bit of trouble settling in but I know certainly speaking to Greg yesterday he's saying they've got the car quite comfortable now so they'll be good to go

00:28:16Oli Gavin leading class here it's Corvettes 1 and 2 Magnuson just behind here and they almost look like they're on their own it's a huge performance difference here between themselves and the Porsche of Mark Leib just for the time being the Corvettes of Oli Gavin and Magnuson 1 and 2 and it's a bit of a yellow party for the time being in the GT2 class joined by Johnny Mullen Johnny it's been a fantastic start here

00:28:41it's I really thought that I really didn't think that Alan McNish would be able to get back at the Peugeot for a few fleeting moments we thought it might happen

00:28:50I think I think what you saw there to be honest I mean I talked to Alan before the start and they know they've got their work cut out to beat the Peugeots once they get into their stride and I think you saw obviously Nicolas Lapierre there

00:28:59probably one of the lesser experienced Peugeot drivers out there and Alan thought he may be giving a hard time and get onto the back of the factory cars but it wasn't to be and now they're just settling into a pattern

00:29:09so we're looking back further down through the field there is the young groves Aston Martin followed by the Ford we will be back after a short break here live at Le Mans

00:29:20welcome back Nigel Mansell has just perhaps well certainly hampered his day it looks like there's big contact he's been on both sides of the course here Johnny

00:29:33yeah I mean that's so unfortunate again that's the Zytec car that I know well and I was talking to Nigel Mansell again this morning and he wasn't particularly happy with certain aspects of his car but nevertheless been going quite well and I

00:29:44couldn't actually see obviously that we're going to see a replay here that looks to me he was already back was there like he had a tyre map potentially a tyre failure or something fail because that's not a place you're just going to crash on your own

00:29:55huge groan around the crowds here we've got big screens to watch of course as well and they know instinctively that Nigel Mansell there it does not look good it's a very very long race though don't forget

00:30:0523 hours and 42 minutes just under that remaining but he's okay which is also very good news

00:30:11you'd be surprised actually and it that can you can take a pretty hard impact and so long as it spreads it along the whole chassis that the Zytec's a tough car and that doesn't necessarily I know it looks pretty big

00:30:21but it doesn't necessarily mean they're out of it obviously going to lose time but if they've done suspension damage they can change suspension so long as they've not actually cracked the tub or anything like that they'll be able to get back out there again

00:30:30yeah but that's a massively fast part of the circuit coming down to Indianapolis

00:30:33it is I myself have had a tyre blowout exactly there and I know but in actual fact it even delaminated the floor when I hit the arm code but we actually got back out there again

00:30:41so it can happen and the safety car's out the reason is it's this man we're still in the green plank conditions but they are being held up here as you can see

00:30:51safety car good and proper fully announced here

00:30:53so the safety car's out because sadly the red 5 has taken a bit of a spin it's hit both sides of the arm code at speed

00:31:00Nigel we understand is okay we're just hoping the car is okay and can rejoin a little bit later but he's going to be at the back of the timing sheets

00:31:07the reason for the safety car is there's a lot of debris there on the circuit Johnny we've got bits of tyre fibre glass everything and they just need

00:31:12don't they at that point of the circuit make absolutely sure it's clean

00:31:15he was running quickly though wasn't he

00:31:17he was I mean he'd just done a 36.4 and I think actually scanning down through the times that is four tenths quicker than they actually qualified the car

00:31:24so Nigel was actually he was on it but I still don't think from judging I'd have to see a replay to really know

00:31:31but it doesn't look to me like that was anything other than some sort of a failure or a puncture or something like that

00:31:35because that is not a place that you would normally crash

00:31:38no and the following car as well is clearly not involved just catching up

00:31:41we don't know whether there was any contact in advance of that but we've got the precautionary ambulances here as well

00:31:47I think John is right that was there were bits of tyre all up the straight there

00:31:51well to be honest with you that's just where you crest coming down and as you crest the car tends to go up on the suspension

00:31:56and as it comes back down again if you've had a tyre failure or puncture that's when it suddenly delaminates on you

00:32:01and it'll just turn you sharp right and it looks to me like you turned sharp right hit the barrier on the right

00:32:05came back across the track because you can see the grass across the surface of the circuit

00:32:09and then obviously ended up in the barriers on the right hand side as we look at it

00:32:13well we've never seen a man more relaxed than Nigel Mansell over the last couple of days

00:32:17he really has been in great spirits and great mood and we just hope that he is okay here

00:32:23they're taking a lot of time to extradite him from the vehicle

00:32:26yeah I'm hopeful that he will be fine obviously I've driven those cars I know they're very safe

00:32:32we've had some huge issues in terms of accidents with them

00:32:35Stephanie Hansen my teammate had a monster accident in Petit Le Mans a couple of years ago and walked away

00:32:40so I'm very hopeful that Nigel will be absolutely fine

00:32:43but obviously they're taking all the necessary precautions and make sure they've got everybody there

00:32:46they need to just in case there is any kind of problem

00:32:49yeah absolutely it needs to happen and just coming in off the lead

00:32:52pinning off the lead is Baz Leidas in the Ford 70 car here

00:32:57which will hand that over I should imagine to Peter Cox by the time this one spins out a little bit

00:33:02a little bit of concern as well in the Red 5 area naturally enough

00:33:05but you've also got to say that at this course safety is practically second to none

00:33:11they've got amazing facilities here hospital very close by

00:33:14and every single fast kind of aircraft you could possibly want to actually get people to the correct hands

00:33:20I couldn't agree more Carlton and it's always nice as a driver to come here

00:33:25because ultimately this is the ultimate challenge for car and driver and team

00:33:28and you do get up to some incredibly high speeds and you are going to have the odd issue

00:33:33whether it's a puncture through no fault of a tyre manufacturer or anything like that

00:33:37you have tyre failures or suspension failures and you can have a very high speed accident here

00:33:41so as a driver it's very very nice to know that you have an incredibly good safety team out there

00:33:47and if you do ever have a problem you're going to be in very very good hands

00:33:49but fortunately historically certainly in recent times we've been very fortunate

00:33:53nothing too serious has ever happened but there have been some huge accidents

00:33:56as we see the GT40 stuck at the end of the pit lane there with the red flag out

00:34:01obviously he will not be allowed to leave until the entire train of cars pass

00:34:05yeah it will be an advantage for Audi that everything is getting compressed up front there

00:34:10but certainly a huge huge disadvantage to Bass Linus is going to be held up there

00:34:14until that train does come by

00:34:16he's going to get himself a lap down unfortunately

00:34:17so we're just checking out how slowly they are circulating here

00:34:23and we're around about the four minutes and twenty as we just wait for Nigel Mansell to be taken out

00:34:27they were getting a stretcher ready

00:34:29they will have just managed to protect the neck

00:34:33isolate it if you will with a collar

00:34:35and just make sure that everything is okay with Nigel Mansell who started in that five car

00:34:40Johnny let's just check with the situation with Bass Linus

00:34:42now he'd just taken the lead in GT1 from Peter Cox

00:34:46as he said they thought right we'll take advantage of the safety car dive in the pits

00:34:49he's now stuck at the end

00:34:50how long is he going to be there?

00:34:52you see that's the thing

00:34:53sometimes in a normal racing situation in sports cars

00:34:56that would have been the right thing to do

00:34:57as soon as the pits were open

00:34:58pit under yellow

00:34:59Le Mans though it's such a long lap

00:35:01and the way they do safety cars with two safety cars out there

00:35:04actually sometimes it doesn't work for you

00:35:05and right now he'll be sat there fuming

00:35:08probably with the engine running as we look on screen at Greg Mansell there

00:35:11and obviously he's nodding there

00:35:12he doesn't look hopefully he doesn't look too concerned to me

00:35:14and I'm sure that Nigel would have been on the radio and telling them he's fine

00:35:17so he's nodding away there

00:35:19so that points to me that everything is fine with Nigel

00:35:22and there is Nigel

00:35:23and it looks like the issue is actually not the leg

00:35:27not the head or anything which is great news

00:35:29but the leg possibly ankles we don't know

00:35:31we're only speculating

00:35:33we're waiting for more news on that

00:35:35but certainly Johnny the good news

00:35:37was the demeanour of his sons

00:35:38yes they didn't look unduly concerned

00:35:41and Nigel obviously being carried out of the car there

00:35:44but I'm sure he's going to be fine

00:35:46I hope he is anyway

00:35:46and again we were talking about earlier with the pitting

00:35:49obviously the first of the Lola Nassin Martins coming in now

00:35:52and I was just about to say this is good news for them

00:35:54because they were falling off a little

00:35:55a little bit off the back of not just the Peugeots

00:35:57but also the Audis

00:35:58so this will be good for them if they can get in and get out

00:36:01and they're a very good team down there

00:36:02they're a pro-drive team

00:36:03they know exactly what they're doing

00:36:04so they'll be pitting at the right time

00:36:06and also you just caught a glimpse there

00:36:08of the Dresden Lola coming in as well

00:36:10so this will keep the field compressed

00:36:12and mean we'll have a bit more excitement yet again

00:36:14to talk about on the restart

00:36:15absolutely

00:36:15well the Ford GT has actually been let go here

00:36:19and hardly any time lost either

00:36:21by the 009 car

00:36:22so they've kind of pitted off the back of the train

00:36:25and will be able to rejoin it

00:36:26so it will be a compressed field

00:36:28and they will be able to recontest in a moment

00:36:30we're going to take ourselves a short commercial break

00:36:32and don't forget eurosport.co.uk

00:36:34go to the message boards

00:36:35scroll down to motorsports

00:36:36click on Le Mans

00:36:37and the thread is

00:36:38new Eurosport 2010 live

00:36:40welcome back

00:36:44with the safety car just passed

00:36:46or the train I should say

00:36:47just passing the number 5 car

00:36:50and I'm sorry to tell you

00:36:51that Beach Dean Mansell machine

00:36:52is out of this year's race

00:36:53it managed 4 laps

00:36:54and we never got to see Greg or Leo

00:36:57having a go out there

00:36:57because Nigel sadly

00:36:59for whatever reason

00:37:00we're not sure just for the time being

00:37:02whether there was any kind of contact

00:37:03but it looks like it was just a failure of some sort

00:37:06hit both sides of the circuit

00:37:09and he has been taken to hospital

00:37:10we think with a leg problem

00:37:11yeah I mean looking at it there

00:37:13I'm pretty sure I know exactly what happened

00:37:15because exactly the same thing happened to me

00:37:17in 2008 in the creation

00:37:19I had a tyre failure

00:37:20and literally just as you crested

00:37:21going heading down towards Indianapolis

00:37:23you're doing well over 200 miles an hour at that point

00:37:25and it just turned me sharp right

00:37:27into the barriers on the right hand side

00:37:28and fortunately for me

00:37:30I actually managed to get it somehow straight

00:37:31so it actually went down the barriers

00:37:33on the right hand side

00:37:34but it was still a big impact

00:37:35I think with Nigel

00:37:36it's actually hit perhaps

00:37:37a little bit more head on

00:37:38and then spat him back across

00:37:39into the barriers on the left hand side

00:37:41so I can tell you now

00:37:43because I've experienced it

00:37:44that would have been a big impact

00:37:45and I was lucky

00:37:46I think if he hit it at a slightly less angle

00:37:47I can understand now

00:37:48why he might have leg injuries

00:37:50yeah we are getting confirmation

00:37:51it was a left rear puncture

00:37:52yes

00:37:53that put him off

00:37:54but it would just spit you straight right into

00:37:55it's happened to me

00:37:56and there's nothing you can do about it

00:37:58I mean it's not a tyre issue

00:37:59or anything else

00:38:01it's just the nature of this track

00:38:02you get a little bit of gravel

00:38:03or debris or something on the circuit

00:38:05those prototypes are running

00:38:06with such colossal levels of downforce

00:38:08that as you run over a piece of debris

00:38:10it's being pushed up into the tyre

00:38:12you don't get any warning whatsoever

00:38:14and you just get an immediate blowout

00:38:15and they all run tyre pressure sensors

00:38:17these cars

00:38:18all the drivers have warnings in the cockpit

00:38:20as do the telemetry

00:38:21real-time telemetry in the teams

00:38:22where they can see a drop in pressure

00:38:24tyre pressure

00:38:25which is great if you have a slow puncture

00:38:26and they can warn you in advance

00:38:27but it doesn't help you

00:38:28when you have an immediate failure

00:38:30like's happened here

00:38:30no and he does still

00:38:31despite his age

00:38:33he has some great reactions

00:38:35he's lost an awful lot of weight

00:38:36to get competitive as well

00:38:38he looked fit as a fiddle car

00:38:3923 pounds he's lost

00:38:41within just a couple of months

00:38:42I know that Magnus Backstead

00:38:44who's the cycling commentator

00:38:45at Eurosport

00:38:45has actually been taking him

00:38:46through his paces

00:38:47so

00:38:49we're just listening in

00:38:51to

00:38:51so

00:38:54the

00:38:55the two sons

00:38:57haven't actually managed

00:38:58to have a chat

00:38:59but we're getting a condition

00:39:01update

00:39:02from

00:39:04race records

00:39:05telemetry doesn't suggest

00:39:07that there's too much wrong

00:39:08but

00:39:09yeah

00:39:09we'll try and figure that one out

00:39:10information

00:39:11a bit thin on the ground

00:39:12just for the time being

00:39:13but

00:39:13Nigel certainly

00:39:14with an arm around

00:39:15two paramedics

00:39:16being carried out

00:39:17looks like a leg injury

00:39:18and he's okay

00:39:19but we'll keep across that for you

00:39:20as soon as we can

00:39:22we will update you

00:39:23don't forget

00:39:23they are just

00:39:24lining up

00:39:25in class order here

00:39:27and you just saw

00:39:27that the

00:39:28the 42 striker racing car

00:39:30is behind its

00:39:32own safety vehicle

00:39:33here

00:39:33and it's

00:39:34Johnny Kane on board

00:39:36Danny Watts qualified that

00:39:37and they were running very well

00:39:38but then again

00:39:38so was Nigel Mansell

00:39:39he passed

00:39:40not only Dave Brabham

00:39:41but Johnny Kane as well

00:39:42so I suppose

00:39:43in a certain way

00:39:45they have been humbled

00:39:46yes absolutely

00:39:48well I mean

00:39:48you say that

00:39:49but obviously

00:39:49he's in the LMP1

00:39:50faster straight line speed

00:39:51and I think

00:39:52that's going to be

00:39:52a fascinating fight

00:39:53between the two

00:39:54Acuras there

00:39:55and obviously

00:39:56Danny Watts

00:39:57did a superb job yesterday

00:39:58David Brabham

00:39:59also qualified the car

00:40:00and you've got to remember

00:40:01a second

00:40:01second and a half

00:40:02difference between them

00:40:03sounds like an awful lot

00:40:04and it would be around

00:40:05any normal circuit

00:40:06but here at Le Mans

00:40:06I always say

00:40:08you need to divide that

00:40:09by about four

00:40:09so you're probably

00:40:10only looking at

00:40:11three or four tenths

00:40:12in terms of difference

00:40:12between those two cars

00:40:13in terms of outlight speed

00:40:14very unhappy Baz Linders

00:40:16he of course has got

00:40:17he's lost a half a lap

00:40:18now to the rest of the class

00:40:20plus his pit stop

00:40:21and this is the problem

00:40:23with having the two

00:40:23safety cars

00:40:24right on the side

00:40:25of the circuit

00:40:25he's lost a half a lap

00:40:26already

00:40:27and of course

00:40:28the other thing is

00:40:28that the other half

00:40:29the field that's behind

00:40:30the second car

00:40:31that's dropping further

00:40:32and further back

00:40:32as it goes on

00:40:33and I can tell you

00:40:34something that I've

00:40:34experienced here

00:40:35when they have

00:40:35multiple safety cars

00:40:36is they don't always

00:40:37go green at the same time

00:40:38so you can actually

00:40:39be in a situation

00:40:40where I've been told

00:40:41it's green green green

00:40:42and I'm still in a line

00:40:43of cars

00:40:44and the other safety cars

00:40:45actually pulled over

00:40:46and the other half

00:40:47of the guys competing

00:40:48are going flat out

00:40:49and we're still going along

00:40:50at sort of first gear

00:40:51behind a safety car

00:40:52so it can sometimes

00:40:53get a bit confusing

00:40:54and it is difficult

00:40:55for the organisers

00:40:55with such a long circuit

00:40:56and such a large number

00:40:58of cars to make sure

00:40:59that everything is

00:40:59always completely

00:41:00completely fair

00:41:01for everybody

00:41:02yeah I think

00:41:02the onboard lights

00:41:04is a great idea

00:41:05that just keeps

00:41:06everyone informed

00:41:07at exactly the same time

00:41:09as to that

00:41:10you can see here

00:41:10it's quite benign

00:41:11conditions

00:41:12so the sun

00:41:12has in fact come out

00:41:13it's rather chipper

00:41:16I've got to say

00:41:16save for those

00:41:17who happen to be

00:41:18in the red 5 machine

00:41:21unfortunately

00:41:21the Beech Dean Manson car

00:41:22so Johnny

00:41:24Corvette Racing

00:41:25is looking fantastic

00:41:26for them at the moment

00:41:26yes I mean

00:41:27Liz actually alluded

00:41:28to it earlier on

00:41:29and I agree with her

00:41:30entirely

00:41:30as we see

00:41:31a nice slow-mo shot

00:41:32there

00:41:33of the Rebellion Lola

00:41:34but I think

00:41:36that the Pratt & Miller

00:41:37GM Corvette team

00:41:38is probably one

00:41:38of the greatest teams

00:41:39out there

00:41:40in terms of

00:41:40GT racing anyway

00:41:42and I've had

00:41:43the misfortune

00:41:44to actually compete

00:41:44against them

00:41:45for a long long time

00:41:46and they have

00:41:47absolutely annihilated us

00:41:49pretty much every time

00:41:50and when it comes

00:41:51to Le Mans

00:41:51they know how to win

00:41:53this race

00:41:53better than anyone

00:41:54now they may be

00:41:54in GT2 now

00:41:55instead of GT1

00:41:56but funnily enough

00:41:58they're out front

00:41:58first and second

00:42:00and looking very comfortable

00:42:02and lapping

00:42:02about 3 to 4 seconds

00:42:04a lap

00:42:04on average

00:42:05quicker than those

00:42:06behind them

00:42:06I think probably

00:42:07the only car

00:42:08that on pace

00:42:09could have maybe

00:42:09taken the fight

00:42:10to them early

00:42:11in the race

00:42:11was the Rissi Ferrari

00:42:13who unfortunately

00:42:13again I know

00:42:14the Rissi boys

00:42:14very well

00:42:15raced for them here

00:42:16and they had to

00:42:17start from the back

00:42:17but again

00:42:18they're good at

00:42:18starting from the back

00:42:19and winning

00:42:19as we did in Sebring

00:42:20with them

00:42:21so I wouldn't

00:42:22rule them out

00:42:22and this obviously

00:42:23would have helped

00:42:23them enormously

00:42:24so long as obviously

00:42:25they didn't get stuck

00:42:26in a different safety car

00:42:27to the two Corvettes

00:42:28it's kind of a different

00:42:28story for them

00:42:29in GT1

00:42:29it's a class

00:42:30that's really been

00:42:31hobbled I suppose

00:42:32after a lot of

00:42:33speculation last year

00:42:34the fields this year

00:42:35were just very minimal

00:42:36and it kind of became

00:42:38as we were saying earlier

00:42:39a bit of a self-fulfilling

00:42:40prophecy

00:42:40that they have

00:42:42finally decided

00:42:42to kill it off

00:42:43sadly

00:42:44for next year

00:42:45there's going to be

00:42:45just one GT class

00:42:47an all-encompassing class

00:42:48I actually think

00:42:49that's a good thing

00:42:50to do

00:42:50I mean GT1

00:42:51I raced in GT1

00:42:52and it's pomp here

00:42:53and it was fantastic

00:42:54with the factory

00:42:54Aston Martins

00:42:55and before that

00:42:56the Ferraris

00:42:57and the Corvettes

00:42:57and obviously

00:42:58we did it in the

00:42:59Saleen

00:42:59factory of support

00:43:00there and everything

00:43:00and that was fantastic

00:43:01but I have to say

00:43:03I think that GT1

00:43:04was almost

00:43:05dead and buried

00:43:06so I think it's

00:43:07almost putting it

00:43:08out of its misery

00:43:08and I think that's

00:43:09the right thing to do

00:43:10and GT2

00:43:10has never been stronger

00:43:12I mean right now

00:43:12the amount of

00:43:13manufacturer involvement

00:43:14is fantastic

00:43:15and it's a joy

00:43:16to watch them all here

00:43:17BMW, Corvette, Ferrari

00:43:19all of them

00:43:20just really

00:43:20you know

00:43:20Aston Martin

00:43:21battling it out

00:43:22with Porsche of course

00:43:23who are stalwarts

00:43:23here at Le Mans

00:43:24This holiday

00:43:25big breath time

00:43:26for everybody

00:43:27Beach Dean

00:43:27still

00:43:28just waiting for news

00:43:30on Nigel Mansell

00:43:30but we believe

00:43:31he's not seriously hurt

00:43:33which is great news

00:43:34just take us through

00:43:36what goes through

00:43:37the drivers here Liz

00:43:38it's not

00:43:39this kind of lengthy

00:43:40hiatus

00:43:40which you've got here

00:43:41just how do you

00:43:41keep yourself in the zone

00:43:42Well especially this

00:43:43early on in the race

00:43:44it's not really

00:43:45what you want to see

00:43:45you're just sort of

00:43:46settling in

00:43:47and starting to pull

00:43:48the regular lap times

00:43:49about four laps

00:43:50into the race

00:43:50and then next thing

00:43:51you know

00:43:51it's a safety car

00:43:52and of course

00:43:53with this one

00:43:53it's a long one

00:43:54you worry when you've

00:43:55seen a lot of

00:43:55safety vehicles out there

00:43:56you start to worry

00:43:57for the other driver

00:43:58as well

00:43:58and certainly then

00:43:59it becomes an issue

00:44:00because your tyres

00:44:01start to get colder

00:44:02you start to get

00:44:02debris on them

00:44:03it's just sort of

00:44:04keeping your brain

00:44:05in line

00:44:06and keeping yourself

00:44:07focused isn't it

00:44:08Johnny

00:44:08Yeah absolutely

00:44:09I mean in some ways

00:44:10it's kind of

00:44:12difficult to maintain

00:44:14focus in this

00:44:15situation

00:44:15and this is the thing

00:44:17about Le Mans 24 hours

00:44:18in terms of the circuit

00:44:19it's not necessarily

00:44:20the most physically

00:44:21demanding circuit

00:44:22that a driver

00:44:22will compete at

00:44:23but I can pretty much

00:44:24say it's one of the

00:44:24most mentally demanding

00:44:25circuits you'll compete at

00:44:27and the mental focus

00:44:28and maintaining that

00:44:29through the whole race

00:44:30and through the whole

00:44:31of your stint

00:44:31is critical in terms

00:44:33of making sure

00:44:33that you actually

00:44:34have a really good result

00:44:35at the end of it

00:44:35Well we're going to

00:44:37take ourselves

00:44:37a short commercial

00:44:39break while we have

00:44:39the safety car here

00:44:40I'm sorry that the

00:44:41racing's been interrupted

00:44:42and for those of you

00:44:43who are only just

00:44:44joining us a little bit

00:44:45late unfortunately

00:44:45it's the Red 5 car

00:44:47that has gone

00:44:48into the barriers

00:44:49the Beechlin Mansell

00:44:50machine is out

00:44:51along with Nigel

00:44:52Greg and Leo

00:44:53Welcome back

00:44:56the ambulance

00:44:57just leaving with

00:44:58Nigel Mansell on board

00:44:59after the 5 car

00:45:01got into both barriers

00:45:02here and sadly

00:45:03is out of the race

00:45:04we've got three safety

00:45:05cars on course

00:45:06at the moment

00:45:06one of which

00:45:08has apparently

00:45:08only got six vehicles

00:45:09behind it

00:45:10so discussion time

00:45:12and I think

00:45:12already smiles at Peugeot

00:45:14and hardly surprising

00:45:15Johnny Marlon

00:45:15Yeah

00:45:17I mean

00:45:18they certainly have

00:45:19the car

00:45:20to win this race

00:45:21in a way

00:45:22the pressure is off

00:45:23I think Audi

00:45:24to some extent now

00:45:25because this is

00:45:26Peugeot's race to lose

00:45:27I think everyone

00:45:28I heard you mention

00:45:28earlier on about

00:45:29the legend

00:45:30Jackie Ixton

00:45:31what he reckoned

00:45:32and you have to agree

00:45:33with him on paper

00:45:34but I still say

00:45:35that in the past

00:45:37they would have won

00:45:38the Le Mans

00:45:38probably earlier

00:45:39than they did

00:45:39if they had not

00:45:41if they had rather

00:45:42been able to keep

00:45:42their drivers

00:45:43perhaps slightly more

00:45:44under control

00:45:45I suppose

00:45:45as a polite way

00:45:46of putting it

00:45:46they have without a doubt

00:45:47some of the fastest

00:45:48sports car drivers

00:45:49in the world

00:45:50within their cars

00:45:50but they still

00:45:51very much believe

00:45:52that they should be

00:45:53going flat out

00:45:54all the time

00:45:54and that is a kind

00:45:55of philosophy

00:45:55that Peugeot

00:45:56seems to maintain

00:45:57and seems to value

00:45:58within the team

00:45:59in terms of

00:46:00comparing their drivers

00:46:01whereas Audi

00:46:02on the other hand

00:46:03they have their program

00:46:03they know who's qualifying

00:46:05and they just deal

00:46:06with it

00:46:06as and when

00:46:07they have to

00:46:08in terms of keeping

00:46:08everyone in that team

00:46:09pulling in the direction

00:46:11that Audi

00:46:11want them to pull in

00:46:12and I'm not sure

00:46:12I still think

00:46:13you saw Montagne

00:46:14there

00:46:14passing Marc Genet

00:46:15giving it everything

00:46:16he had

00:46:17to get past Marc Genet

00:46:18and there's never

00:46:19any doubt

00:46:20in my mind

00:46:20that Audi

00:46:20would hold train

00:46:21first, second and third

00:46:22if they needed to

00:46:23at a certain point

00:46:23in the race

00:46:24I can't see that

00:46:25happening with Peugeot

00:46:26no matter what

00:46:26they tell them

00:46:27on the radio

00:46:27and I think

00:46:27that's their Achilles heel

00:46:28and I still think

00:46:30even with an advantage

00:46:31that they've got here

00:46:31that could perhaps

00:46:32come back to bite them

00:46:33but maybe I'm doing

00:46:34them a huge disservice

00:46:35and I probably am

00:46:36I agree with you

00:46:37completely to be honest

00:46:38I think they're

00:46:39told to push

00:46:40and they do push

00:46:41all the time

00:46:42because in speaking

00:46:42with some of the boys

00:46:43they've always said

00:46:44look we have to get

00:46:45in the car and push

00:46:46I've spoken to Nick

00:46:47Manassian and he said

00:46:48every time we're in

00:46:49we have to just

00:46:50lodge it

00:46:51every time

00:46:51I tell you what Liz

00:46:52and I realise

00:46:53to some extent

00:46:54the Audi

00:46:54it's not like the Audi

00:46:55boys get in and cruise

00:46:55around

00:46:56but what happens

00:46:57with Peugeot

00:46:58is that they actually

00:46:58have on their pit boards

00:46:59and up on the gantries

00:47:01you can go up

00:47:02and look at your

00:47:02quickest time

00:47:03and look at your average

00:47:04in comparison to all

00:47:05the other drivers

00:47:05and they have that

00:47:06apparently during the race

00:47:07now that's a red rag

00:47:08to a bull

00:47:09to any driver

00:47:09who needs to put his ego

00:47:11in his back pocket

00:47:12during a race like this

00:47:13to keep himself

00:47:13you know basically

00:47:14pulling in the direction

00:47:15of the team

00:47:15and acting as a team mate

00:47:17if you go up there

00:47:18and you see your

00:47:18fifth, sixth

00:47:19or heaven forbid

00:47:20slowest of the drivers

00:47:21and your average lap time

00:47:22is slower

00:47:22when you get in the car

00:47:23next time

00:47:23you are going to

00:47:24absolutely push

00:47:25as hard as you can

00:47:25perhaps over the limit

00:47:27in order to make sure

00:47:28that you move up

00:47:28that sort of leaderboard

00:47:29and that is not

00:47:30the right mindset

00:47:31to have

00:47:32if you want to win

00:47:32a 24 hour race

00:47:33that's not to say

00:47:34that you don't go out there

00:47:35and drive as fast

00:47:36as you can

00:47:36but you don't want

00:47:37to have that

00:47:37insecurity in the back

00:47:38of your head

00:47:39that you're being judged

00:47:40every single lap

00:47:41yeah no I absolutely

00:47:42agree with you

00:47:43and I think we're

00:47:44soon going to be

00:47:45hearing something

00:47:46from one of the many

00:47:47best Audi drivers

00:47:48we've got an interview

00:47:49coming to you

00:47:49from Capello

00:47:50yeah Dino Capello

00:47:51is going to have

00:47:51a brief chat with us

00:47:53and Stuart Hall

00:47:54will be joining us

00:47:54a little bit later on

00:47:55just pointing out

00:47:56that it's an armco repair

00:47:57that's actually

00:47:57mainly holding things up here

00:47:59and that is

00:48:01clearly an issue here

00:48:03didn't get into tyres

00:48:05hit the hard stuff

00:48:06and that's why

00:48:06there are no tyres

00:48:08down there

00:48:09that's right

00:48:09exactly

00:48:10so we'll head downstairs

00:48:12and have a brief word

00:48:14with Dino Capello

00:48:15it looks like

00:48:15the clean up

00:48:16is finished

00:48:16which is good news

00:48:17Dino what a bad luck

00:48:19for the safety car

00:48:20yeah that was really

00:48:22bad luck for us

00:48:24Alan was screaming

00:48:26in his radio

00:48:26because one of the car

00:48:28in front of him

00:48:28just slowed down

00:48:29much too much

00:48:30and we just missed

00:48:32the cue

00:48:32the first cue

00:48:34and then we have been

00:48:35picked up from the

00:48:36second safety car

00:48:37which cost us

00:48:37I don't know

00:48:38half lap probably

00:48:39and it's a really bad start

00:48:42of the race

00:48:42that is just

00:48:43that is just bad luck

00:48:45or inexperience

00:48:46of some driver

00:48:48I really don't know

00:48:48who was the one

00:48:50who slowed down so much

00:48:51but it's something

00:48:52really bad

00:48:53in such a great event

00:48:54to have some driver

00:48:56that probably

00:48:57they do not know

00:48:58exactly how the rule

00:48:59what the rule say

00:49:00you don't need to go

00:49:0250 kilometers per hour

00:49:03when you are in

00:49:04safety car mode

00:49:06you have just to

00:49:06keep a safe speed

00:49:10but you cannot go

00:49:11for one lap

00:49:13at 50 kilometers per hour

00:49:15Dindo

00:49:16the race is still

00:49:17really long

00:49:18you can I'm sure

00:49:19still push

00:49:20we saw Alan

00:49:21on the first lap

00:49:22was really quick

00:49:24yeah but as you know

00:49:25we have to really

00:49:26to go as fast

00:49:29as we can

00:49:30every meter

00:49:31of the track

00:49:31and when you lose

00:49:32such a big gap

00:49:34just due to

00:49:35bad luck

00:49:36that you know

00:49:37it's not easy

00:49:38for sure to recover

00:49:39especially in our position

00:49:40but you know

00:49:41as you said

00:49:42it's a long race

00:49:43we will see

00:49:43thank you Dindo

00:49:44thank you so much

00:49:45well Dindo

00:49:46expressing frustration

00:49:47I can't imagine

00:49:48what's going on

00:49:49in Alamitnish's helmet

00:49:51but believe me

00:49:52it is steamed up

00:49:54they're not happy

00:49:55at all

00:49:56they're about

00:49:56three minutes behind

00:49:57of course

00:49:57because they're halfway

00:49:58back around the track

00:49:59at a very slow speed

00:50:01just looking for

00:50:02there's a couple of cars

00:50:03looking like they're

00:50:04about to come in

00:50:05I think the

00:50:06AIM number six car

00:50:08is one of those

00:50:09yeah I was just about

00:50:10to say going back

00:50:11to that

00:50:11obviously

00:50:12they've lost

00:50:13as Dindo says

00:50:14the best part

00:50:14of two thirds

00:50:15of a lap

00:50:15in actual fact

00:50:16with that safety car

00:50:16again it'll be

00:50:17interesting to see

00:50:18as we see the

00:50:19Audi's there

00:50:19behind this

00:50:20the spiker

00:50:20I don't know

00:50:21if that was the

00:50:21car that was

00:50:22guilty of going

00:50:23slowly

00:50:23I'm assuming

00:50:24that perhaps

00:50:24it was

00:50:24seeing that's

00:50:25the only GT car

00:50:26between Alan

00:50:26and the safety car

00:50:28that he's actually

00:50:28behind

00:50:29but it's going to be

00:50:30interesting to see

00:50:31whether they go green

00:50:32all at the same time

00:50:33or whether they try

00:50:34and allow one group

00:50:36to go before the other

00:50:37so very unfortunate

00:50:38there for the Audi's

00:50:40but it's still early days

00:50:41but having said that

00:50:41if it was the other way

00:50:43round you'd say

00:50:43the Peugeot is a cap

00:50:44chat no problem

00:50:45but with it being

00:50:46that way round

00:50:46that is also

00:50:47the first nail

00:50:48in the coffin

00:50:49so to speak

00:50:49even at this early stage

00:50:51and there is nothing

00:50:52more irritating

00:50:52than having that

00:50:53happen to you

00:50:54especially early on

00:50:54in the race

00:50:55especially in the

00:50:56position they're in

00:50:56because they know

00:50:57that the only way

00:50:58they can really win

00:50:59this race

00:50:59is not with speed

00:51:01it's going to be

00:51:01with perfect pit stops

00:51:02it's with everything

00:51:03working in their favour

00:51:04everything working out

00:51:05the safety cars

00:51:06so I can completely

00:51:07understand where they are

00:51:07I'm sure you've been

00:51:08in the same situation

00:51:09Johnny I know I have

00:51:10where you come out

00:51:11and you know you've

00:51:11got to get there

00:51:12or catch the safety car

00:51:13or something

00:51:14and you've got somebody

00:51:14there who's just

00:51:15not quite doing the pace

00:51:16and it is infuriating

00:51:17because we absolutely

00:51:18cannot pass them

00:51:18and that is part

00:51:19of sports car racing

00:51:20you've got a variety

00:51:21of cars

00:51:21and that's just

00:51:22the way it is sometimes

00:51:23it is and at that

00:51:24point quite often

00:51:24the radio needs to have

00:51:25you know be bleeped

00:51:26out entirely

00:51:27because you're saying

00:51:29you know at that point

00:51:29I'm surprised I didn't

00:51:30see if it was for example

00:51:31the Spiker

00:51:32and I don't want to do

00:51:32the Spiker team

00:51:33because in actual fact

00:51:34they've got professional

00:51:35drivers in that car

00:51:36so I'd be very surprised

00:51:37if they slow down

00:51:37to 50 kilometres an hour

00:51:38but I'm surprised

00:51:40whichever car it was

00:51:40you didn't see Audi

00:51:41people running down

00:51:42to that particular garage

00:51:43and telling them

00:51:44to shift it

00:51:45I imagine they probably

00:51:46ran down out of view

00:51:47at the back of the garage

00:51:48and had exactly

00:51:49that conversation

00:51:50so they just come by us

00:51:51again sadly still

00:51:52we are in the safety car

00:51:53I think it may well

00:51:54because of track position

00:51:56it's very difficult

00:51:56for everyone to go

00:51:58green at the same time

00:51:59because you've got to

00:51:59have an escape road

00:52:00for the vehicle

00:52:00to actually clear

00:52:01out in front of them

00:52:02so you're absolutely right

00:52:03it's going to be a bit

00:52:04staggered here

00:52:04so the luck may get

00:52:05even worse

00:52:06so that's what I'm saying

00:52:07if they let the Peugeots

00:52:08go first

00:52:08you could be in a situation

00:52:09where they're coming around

00:52:10to lap the Audis

00:52:11within the next 5-10 minutes

00:52:13of the race

00:52:13which would not be good

00:52:15for the race as a whole

00:52:16to be honest

00:52:16that's not what we want

00:52:17and it is indeed

00:52:18the four car

00:52:18the Team Oregon

00:52:19map machine

00:52:19that's actually come in

00:52:20and got onto its spot here

00:52:22don't forget

00:52:23if you'd like to join us

00:52:24by the way

00:52:25Mark Cole's just going

00:52:26through the messages

00:52:27and we'll be having a chat

00:52:28with some of you

00:52:29in just a wee while

00:52:30while we have this hiatus

00:52:31it's Eurosport.co.uk

00:52:33click on the message boards

00:52:34scroll down to motorsports

00:52:36you'll find Le Mans there

00:52:37click on that

00:52:38and then the topic

00:52:39the area that we're on

00:52:41at the moment

00:52:41is new

00:52:42exclamation mark

00:52:43Eurosport 2010

00:52:44Le Mans live

00:52:45don't confuse it

00:52:47with some of the old

00:52:47message boards

00:52:48that might be lingering

00:52:48around since April

00:52:49where of course

00:52:52we were busy

00:52:52with the bike

00:52:5424 hour race

00:52:55so a very

00:52:56very well marshaled crew

00:52:57a team that also

00:52:59have a great deal

00:53:01of good fortune

00:53:02to have full factory spec

00:53:04car here

00:53:04the 908

00:53:05and yeah

00:53:07they really have

00:53:07a great machine

00:53:08in their hands

00:53:09and they proved that

00:53:09earlier on

00:53:10because at the start

00:53:12Alan McNish

00:53:12was really really

00:53:14hounding the Peugeots

00:53:15there

00:53:15and just couldn't get by

00:53:17and the man was

00:53:18in the hands of

00:53:18Nicolas Lapierre

00:53:19was clearly

00:53:20the first car

00:53:21in his sights

00:53:22new stadium development

00:53:23for the local

00:53:24football team here

00:53:25doesn't look as pretty

00:53:27as it possibly could do

00:53:28but we'll wait for that

00:53:29and if you're

00:53:30looking about pretty

00:53:31unfortunately

00:53:32it is not a pretty sight

00:53:34the number five car

00:53:35which is out of this

00:53:36it's tagged front

00:53:37and then down one side

00:53:39after Nigel Bounsel

00:53:40got into the barriers

00:53:41and that's why we have

00:53:42a safety car period here

00:53:43sadly for Nigel Bounsel

00:53:45and sons Greg and Leo

00:53:46they're out of this race

00:53:47and out very early on

00:53:49a real real shame

00:53:50but the clock still ticks

00:53:51so time for some

00:53:56to stretch your brains

00:53:58and keep yourself

00:54:00limbered up frankly

00:54:01because we've essentially

00:54:02got a whole new restart

00:54:03at least for the Peugeots

00:54:04as far as Audi

00:54:05are concerned

00:54:05they've got a great deal

00:54:07of catching up to do

00:54:08and maybe even more

00:54:09they do

00:54:10and one of the things

00:54:11that's sort of unique

00:54:12to Le Mans

00:54:13and any of the other

00:54:14very long circuits

00:54:15we have

00:54:15is these multiple safety cars

00:54:16it's not an issue

00:54:17that we have on most circuits

00:54:19but that creates

00:54:20a major problem here

00:54:21and it is one of the challenges

00:54:22of Le Mans really

00:54:23and that's where

00:54:24like we're just saying

00:54:25is that Audi

00:54:26could be really in trouble here

00:54:27if the safety car

00:54:29that has the Peugeots

00:54:30in front

00:54:30lets them go first

00:54:31well I see

00:54:31I mean you see

00:54:32we were just talking

00:54:32about the number four

00:54:33Peugeot

00:54:35and you see there

00:54:36he's being held

00:54:36at the end of the pit lane

00:54:37we can't see it on picture

00:54:38but I can see looking

00:54:39out of the screen

00:54:40of the commentary box here

00:54:41that he's being held

00:54:41and obviously they're coming

00:54:42through the chicane

00:54:43with this particular safety car

00:54:44so he's come out

00:54:45of one safety car

00:54:46he's come in the pit

00:54:47changed his tyres

00:54:48he's now got a weight

00:54:49until the second safety car

00:54:50or in this case

00:54:51the third safety car

00:54:52goes past

00:54:52and then join

00:54:52at the back of them

00:54:53so it's almost

00:54:54not worth pitting

00:54:56under safety car conditions

00:54:57exactly

00:54:57it makes you ask

00:54:58what their strategy

00:54:59is about here

00:55:00as soon as your plus

00:55:00Aston is coming here

00:55:02they're on Dunlops

00:55:02don't forget

00:55:03so they'll be swapping

00:55:04those over

00:55:04but it is a huge

00:55:06huge penalty

00:55:07if you get held at red

00:55:08and that's exactly

00:55:08what's happened

00:55:09to Team Orica here

00:55:10don't forget

00:55:10they now

00:55:12essentially hand over

00:55:13that position

00:55:13you lose half a lap

00:55:14and half a lap

00:55:16of Le Mans

00:55:16is two minutes

00:55:17so it's incredible

00:55:18and I don't really know

00:55:20why they can't

00:55:20in a way

00:55:21I understand the thinking

00:55:22initially with an accident

00:55:23of doing multiple safety cars

00:55:25and especially at night

00:55:26it can be very useful

00:55:26but why in a long situation

00:55:28like this

00:55:28where the race has been

00:55:30broken up unfairly

00:55:31really let's be honest

00:55:32why they can't then

00:55:33bunch them up

00:55:34behind one safety car

00:55:35before they then release them

00:55:36I don't think

00:55:37that that would be

00:55:37too difficult to do

00:55:38to be honest

00:55:39or even two

00:55:41I mean you've got

00:55:42a long safety car

00:55:43I can understand

00:55:43when a short safety period

00:55:45you haven't got time

00:55:46to do that

00:55:47but in something like this

00:55:47they've had plenty of time

00:55:48to bunch them behind one

00:55:49yes and the next fish

00:55:50to be caught

00:55:51is of course

00:55:51the Signature Plus

00:55:52the car that's now held

00:55:54as the Orica Matmut

00:55:55went off

00:55:56and joined a whole raft

00:55:57of GTs and LMP2s

00:55:59out there

00:55:59only six cars

00:56:00behind the next

00:56:01safety car

00:56:02we understand

00:56:02but this is a bit

00:56:04of a carousel

00:56:04we've got going on here

00:56:06and it's just about

00:56:07everyone's nerves

00:56:08start to fray here

00:56:09and you can start

00:56:10eating the communications

00:56:11devices

00:56:11well I think the teams

00:56:13really have to sit back

00:56:14now and think

00:56:14is it worth bringing

00:56:15the car in

00:56:16they're going to have

00:56:17to look at what

00:56:17their plan is

00:56:18how long they think

00:56:18they're going to go

00:56:19on fuel

00:56:19how they want to

00:56:20shift about the drivers

00:56:22because some teams

00:56:23if we'd had longer time

00:56:25under green

00:56:25a lot of teams

00:56:26would do a driver change

00:56:27under yellow

00:56:27especially if they're

00:56:28going to be stopped

00:56:29at the end like that

00:56:29if you're sat

00:56:31as they have been

00:56:32at the pit out

00:56:33with a red flag

00:56:34for say two minutes

00:56:35like some of them have

00:56:36and some of them

00:56:36even longer than that

00:56:38then that's almost

00:56:39a lap under green anyway

00:56:40so you might as well

00:56:40come in and not

00:56:41take the yellow

00:56:42you might as well

00:56:43come in under green

00:56:43you're not going to lose

00:56:44you're going to lose

00:56:44less coming in under green

00:56:45than taking the yellow

00:56:46that's a very good point

00:56:47actually

00:56:47so we are in the

00:56:49safety car unfortunately

00:56:50and they are causing

00:56:51all kinds of havoc

00:56:52out there

00:56:53this safety car

00:56:54is now gone off

00:56:56and we're starting

00:56:57to green light

00:56:59a green flag here

00:57:00and that's a pleasure

00:57:01to be able to say it

00:57:02we've got a real mix

00:57:04of class however though

00:57:05and as the battles

00:57:05start to rage

00:57:06and just a look at that

00:57:07picking it up

00:57:09is one of the

00:57:10double O machines

00:57:11just didn't quite

00:57:12get a flight of it there

00:57:13and locked in

00:57:15with a lot of

00:57:15far less powerful

00:57:16machines here

00:57:17didn't qualify

00:57:17in that position

00:57:18don't forget

00:57:18but now has to

00:57:20do something

00:57:21very very special

00:57:21I think this was

00:57:22the short train

00:57:23and we've already

00:57:24got a spinner

00:57:24well clearly

00:57:25just not

00:57:26either keeping the brains

00:57:27or the heat

00:57:28in the tyres

00:57:28here

00:57:29the 29 car

00:57:30has taken a little

00:57:31pirouette unfortunately

00:57:32just at the get go

00:57:34here

00:57:34it does look like

00:57:35they went green

00:57:35simultaneously though

00:57:36that is something

00:57:37that seems to

00:57:37as you see the

00:57:38Peugeots there

00:57:38working their way

00:57:39through traffic

00:57:40because obviously

00:57:40they weren't actually

00:57:41at the front of that

00:57:41line in that safety car

00:57:42but it does look like

00:57:43they went green

00:57:44on the start line

00:57:44but also went green

00:57:45with the other two

00:57:46safety cars at the

00:57:47same time

00:57:47so that's good news

00:57:48anyway to get back

00:57:49racing simultaneously

00:57:50one of the flying lizards just

00:57:51just being passed here

00:57:52we've got Peugeots 1, 2 and 3

00:57:54we've got Olivier Panis

00:57:55who is about to have a

00:57:57word of this as well

00:57:57getting eaten up by the P1

00:57:59cars

00:57:59everyone still crammed

00:58:00together

00:58:01and rather unfamiliarly

00:58:03out of sequence

00:58:04let's step downstairs

00:58:05Olivier

00:58:06we've just started again

00:58:08quite a smooth one

00:58:10it seems

00:58:10you've been back in

00:58:11there to change tyres

00:58:12there we have a problem

00:58:13he says

00:58:14and because we're

00:58:18under the safety car

00:58:19we couldn't get back in

00:58:23he says

00:58:23I don't quite understand

00:58:24what that is

00:58:25because it has been

00:58:26so will the stops

00:58:29have an influence

00:58:31he says

00:58:31well of course

00:58:31because of the safety car

00:58:32but I think it's normal

00:58:35to be safe

00:58:35and rather than be sorry

00:58:38and we have to take

00:58:39measures he says

00:58:40well as you can see

00:58:41it's absolutely crammed

00:58:43down there

00:58:43we've got all kinds

00:58:45of a mix up here

00:58:47and the leaders

00:58:47are absolutely locked

00:58:49within the GTs

00:58:51as we speak

00:58:52and the number one car

00:58:53right now

00:58:54in third place

00:58:55in the hands of

00:58:55Marc Genet

00:58:56is having a huge job

00:58:57to actually get through

00:58:58a GT field

00:58:59that we wouldn't have

00:59:00expected to be this busy

00:59:02that far down the order

00:59:03essentially

00:59:03no this is when

00:59:04it's really tough

00:59:05is when you get a restart

00:59:06in a race like Le Mans

00:59:07in a sports car race

00:59:08where you have a huge

00:59:09variety of cars

00:59:10and speeds

00:59:11and it's really a challenge

00:59:13it's a challenge

00:59:13for both classes

00:59:14because you need to get

00:59:15around the slower traffic

00:59:16safely

00:59:16but also as a slower car

00:59:18you need to make sure

00:59:19that you can drive

00:59:19your own line

00:59:20but also look out

00:59:21for what's coming up

00:59:21behind you

00:59:22and it is very very tricky

00:59:23I mean you saw that

00:59:24I mean he's actually

00:59:25taking off the circuit

00:59:26now the problem

00:59:27you by doing that

00:59:28is you can pick up

00:59:29punctures

00:59:29and this goes back

00:59:30to what I was saying

00:59:31they're desperate

00:59:32it's literally

00:59:33you can see the desperation

00:59:34and there is no need

00:59:35to do that

00:59:36there's absolutely

00:59:37no need to do that

00:59:38so if you get a right

00:59:38rear puncture

00:59:39and you get under green

00:59:40you have to come in

00:59:40and change it

00:59:41then that's the situation

00:59:41and I don't understand that

00:59:43there's something

00:59:43I was talking about earlier

00:59:44and it just doesn't

00:59:45make sense to me

00:59:46as you can see

00:59:49and as Liz points out

00:59:50we're not even an hour

00:59:51in here

00:59:52but they're not exactly

00:59:54on the same position

00:59:55on the track

00:59:55unfortunately for them

00:59:56it's been a busy

00:59:57busy busy restart here

00:59:59but Petro Alami

01:00:00in the number three car

01:00:02is in

01:00:03well just about in clover

01:00:05as he hits the tenth

01:00:06lap at the moment

01:00:07he's picked his way

01:00:08throughout

01:00:09very very gingerly here

01:00:11now don't forget

01:00:12if two cars have an impact

01:00:13and they're from different

01:00:14classes

01:00:14here's what I live

01:00:18like

01:00:18and

01:00:19to be

01:00:20where they're from

01:00:20I'm

01:00:21and I love you

01:00:21it's been a bit

01:00:22they're from

01:00:23I'm

01:00:24saying

01:00:25no

01:00:25I'm

01:00:26I'm

01:00:27I'm

01:00:28I'm

01:00:29I'm

01:00:30I'm

01:00:31I'm

01:00:32I'm

01:00:33I'm

01:00:34I'm

01:00:35I'm

01:00:36I'm

01:00:37I'm

01:00:38I'm

01:00:39I'm

01:00:40I'm

24 Hours of Le Mans 2010 – Full Race Part 1

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